Nick Davis

[nickjdavis]

Hi All,
Been a member here for a couple of weeks but not posted anything until today. Still taking a bit of time to get used to the forum structure!!!

Nice to see many familiar faces from over on the dPreview forum...I still lurk over there but dont post much these days.

Live in Suffolk, UK. Allways had cameras knocking around the house but never really interested until a friend leant me his Canon G1 when my baby daughter was born just over 4 years ago. Despite his protestations that Canon were the best I went my own way and bought a Fuji 6900Z (still got it!)...got interested in DSLR's when a friend bought a Canon 10D (what is it with my friends and their love of Canons???) but I'd allready heard about 4/3rds and the forthcoming Oly E1 and the design thesis behind it and was very interested.

The wife disappeared for a three day conference in Nov '03 leaving me behind to look after the kids. In preparation for this event I'd allready found a local retailer who was willing to leand me an E1 for a couple of days and shortly after dropping the missus off at the station I was in possession of the said beast!!!

To be fair, my initial efforts were underwhelming to say the least (overcast dull conditions, no light, lack of experience) but two images (one of which still hangs on a wall at home) showed me what the camera was capable of. I was howver totally overwhelmed by the ergonomics of the E1...as a tool it was a fine piece of engineering. Sadly the E1 had to go back to the store but it was less than two months before I saw someone auctioning one on Ebay but with a buy it now price of £1400, it had been on for a bout 4 days and had no bids and hardly anyone had looked at the auction...I did the dirty and contacted him directly and offerred him £1200 cash for an instant sale (in the UK E1's were selling for £1800 at this time). Two days later on a damp railway platform at London Liverpool Street I exchanged a couple of brown paper envelopes full of crisp £50 and £20 notes and took possession of my E1.

And I've never looked back!!!

Mainly indulge in wildlife photography and some sports stuff...best system accessory has been the EX25 which turns the 50-200 into a fantatstic telephoto macro lens...have shot some wonderful dragonfly pics with this combo.

Anyway...its nice to be here and am looking forward to recapturing some of that old Olympus spirit that was such a feature of the dPreview forum a couple of years ago.

[E B]

Hey, great to see you aboard. As you've probably already discovered, there are four drop down menus above your posting menu which can be used to do very useful things. The first thing I did was use the Display Modes menu to change the forum display to "threaded" since I'm too dumb to understand who's replying to whom with the "flat" display. I think you'll find this place very cozy. I know I do.

[AnnF]

Hello Nick. Would like to see some of those dragonfly shots sometime. I have a few myself.

Ann

[nickjdavis]

Ann,
go and browse my pbase account...theyre in the wildlife section.

http://www.pbase.com/nickjdavis

but heres a little sample for you of a Banded Demoiselle Damselfly...

[DavyG]

Hi Nick,

Good to see your post here, I've been watching your 50mm macro lens on eBay.

Having looked at your gallery, I was intrigued as to why you were selling the macro lens until I saw your comments about the 50 - 200 and the EX25, is the combo really that good?

I'd be interested to know the locations you take your photos in, as I live in Kesgrave, not far from you.

I was impressed by your gallery, maybe an E1 will make it onto my wish list!

Dave

[nickjdavis]

Dave,
In my opinion the 50-200 plus EX25 is an excellent combination for subjects such as butterflies, drogonflies and other larger insects.

The 50mm macro is a fantastic lense but I just havent found it to be as practical when "out in the wild" hence its sale.

Perhaps when the longer Sigma macros or the 100mm Oly macro is available I might try one of those lenses but the sad fact is the 50mm is up for sale!!!

Although I live in Ipswich the vast majority of the wildlife pis in my gallery have been taken at various Conservation sites close to where I work near Brentwood in Essex!!!

All the Banded Demoiselle Damselfly pics were taken on the River Stour at Dedham close.

E1 is a bargain at current prices...despite the "lowly" megapixel count!!!

Nick

[DavyG]

Thanks for the info Nick, the EX25 has just been added to the list.

I'm sorely tempted to buy an E1 at current prices but I've bought quite a lot of kit over the last couple of months and don't want to push my luck!

I know digitaldepot are doing the body with the om adaptor for £449 and as I already have a few lenses, that's a bargain.

Dave

[AnnF]

Ann,
go and browse my pbase account...theyre in the wildlife section.
http://www.pbase.com/nickjdavis

Thanks. Cool shots. You know, the one I like best out of them all is the muted swan foot.

Ann